Success Story: Missouri
John and Holly Arbuckle, owners of Singing Prairie Farm in La Plata, Missouri, own and operate a pig farm. And not just any old pig farm. Their roaming, contented pigs are literally the foundation of the first and only non-GMO, pasture-raised pork snack stick available nationally – Roam Sticks. And they expect a Kickstarter campaign to further develop the brand and recruit more pasture-based farmers.
Born into a multi-generational farm family (he’s a ninth generation farmer), John Arbuckle continued the agricultural tradition, graduating with a degree in sustainable agriculture from Fort Lewis College in Colorado. One of his greatest passions was adventuring. From working as a raft guide on the Arkansas River to climbing Aconcagua, the highest peak in the western hemisphere, and crossing the Chihuahua Desert on a donkey named Milagro, Arbuckle loved to roam the great outdoors.
Fast forward to 2010. Arbuckle settled down with his wife and two kids in La Plata, a tiny community about 15 miles south of Kirksville. An advocate of healthy eating, Arbuckle started thinking about developing a convenience food in line with his passions for sustainable agriculture and for roaming. The Arbuckles wanted it to be a product they would be excited giving to their own kids on family adventures and came up with “Roam Sticks,” because the pigs roam on pasture and the consumer can then roam with a far healthier, on-the-go snacking option.
Not that it’s been a walk in the pasture. (more…)